Sandeepp Saxena
NEW DELHI: Overflowing with culture, history and astoundingly scenic countryside, India’s travel-tourismhospitality sector got a big boost with Prime Minister launching the MV Ganga Vilas from Varanasi on January 13.
The world’s longest luxury river cruise will cover 50 tourist spots and 27 rivers in five Indian states, and Bangladesh, in 51 days. But those wishing to the exotic experience will have to wait; the voyage has already been booked till March 14.
The cruise has been curated to showcase the best of India to the world. The journey will give foreign tourists an opportunity to embark upon an experiential voyage and indulge in the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh.
Luxury riverboat
To provide guests and customers with a vivid, diverse and thriving cultural glimpse of the Indian subcontinent and its natural beauty, India has developed the 18-suite state-of-theart boutique luxury riverboat. All the suites come with floor-toceiling windows that allow river views 24×7. It gives the guests a rare chance to access pristine vistas untouched by pollution and mass tourism, along with several immersive experiences.
The ship features a vibrant modern décor inspired by the 1950s art scene depicting the Partition of British India in 1947. It follows sustainable principles at its core – the Ganga Vilas has pollution-free mechanisms and noise control technologies as a symbol of honouring the rivers.
Key tourist spots
The tour includes a visit to Varanasi, which holds the magnificent and worldfamous ‘Ganga Aarti’. It also covers Sarnath, where the Buddha delivered his first sermon after his enlightenment. Additionally, it also encompasses flora fauna and wildlife species.
For example, the tour includes Kaziranga National Park (famous for its one-horned rhinoceros) and the Sundarbans (known for its Royal Bengal Tigers). Another important landmark is the village of Mayong in Assam, known for its witchcraft, black magic and tantric rituals.
The trip will also take guests.to Majuli (a river island) in the Brahmaputra River; the place known for its several 15th-century old monasteries.
The preference of some tourists for shorter itineraries has also been kept in mind – 50- night itinerary in two parts, a 20-night itinerary portion from Varanasi to Kolkata and vice versa. There is also an additional provision: a 30-night trip from Kolkata to Sivsagar or vice versa and via Bangladesh along the Hooghly, Brahmaputra and other rivers.
